From the Home Place

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  • “How big is your God?”

    December 19, 2025

    Another day with the high temperature and the wind gusts matching, both around 60!

    How big is your God? Are there some things that even you god can’t do? – My God is all powerful! Are there some things that your god does not understand? – My God is all knowing! Do you often feel like your god is far away, too busy for you at times? – My God is always near and always caring! You see, the problem could be that you have a little god, while I have a great big GOD! Or could it be that too many people who confess faith in God, don’t really know God, and as such, don’t really experience God?

    If any of the above statements describe you, may I suggest that you read the Bible. For within the Bible we find that God is all powerful, all knowing, and always available to those who come to Him through Jesus Christ. There is a real difference between knowing about God, and knowing God.

    I would like to share a story with you that I first heard nearly forty years ago. “There was once a family who lived in a large city. This family went to church on Easter Sunday, a new church for them. They were so moved by the pastor’s message that the lady of the house suggested that they should invite the pastor to come to their home for lunch the next Sunday. The invitation was made and accepted.

    The following Saturday found the lady of the house cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. The popular magazines were all put in a drawer. The large variety of video games were also stowed away. The television remote was hidden, along with the highlighted directory that revealed their favorite TV programs, most of which she was sure that their new pastor would not watch. After all was shinny clean, she dug around in the library and finally found the family Bible. It too was dusted off and then placed on the coffee table that usually held all of items that were now safely hidden.

    As this lady thought about what she should be wearing when their pastor sat at their dining room table, she thought that she should probably wear a necklace with a cross on it instead of some of her designer jewelry. So, our dear lady got into her car and drove downtown to a very expensive jewelry store. Upon entering the store, she mentioned to the clerk that she was there to purchase a very nice necklace with a cross on it.

    The clerk responded, ‘We have an excellent variety of crosses right over here. Do you prefer silver or gold? Do you want a cross with the little guy on it or not?’ Our dear lady made her purchase and proudly displayed both the cross and the Bible the next day when the pastor came for lunch.” I know, this is just a story. But, perhaps this is a story that is lived our each and every day all across America?

    As long Jesus is the “little guy” on the cross, God will never be “Almighty God!” in your life. He will tend to be more of a lucky rabbit’s foot. You know, the God a person calls upon when said person cannot fix a situation by their own effort and influence. For such a person, they only have a small god.

    Just like the little boy in the story below, God is only GOD if you are walking closely with Him. That means you often read His “love letter to you,” usually called the Bible. It also requires that you have a love relationship with Him through the person of Jesus Christ, not just through baptism, church membership, by being a “good” person, or any of the other methods that humanity has devised. To know God, we have to know Him on His terms. (John 14:6)

    Knowing GOD with you, Neal

  • Opposites!

    December 18, 2025

    With 71 mph wind gusts, I think Miss Deb and I will just hunker down and work on our puzzle!

    On Tuesday one of our dear friends took a great trip. It’s a trip everyone will get to take eventually, though there are two different destinations. Yep, yesterday our friend walked away from this earth, and because of her deep faith in Jesus, she left this ‘ol ball of dirt behind and walked into heaven! I call that day, “Graduation Day.”

    Remember back to the day that you graduated high school? Do you remember the anticipation? It was the day that you left that school behind, to live the life that was before you! Graduation opened the door for the next level of your life! Well, that’s what death is like for the Christian. As we take our last breath here, we begin to live there! A whole new life with no pain, no struggles, no enemy, just abundant life – for eternity, walking with God!

    And for those who prefer to walk away from God, well there is an eternity waiting for those folks as well – that eternity in hell! So, let’s visit about that place for a moment: Hell is a place of complete isolation, no playing poker and drinking beer with friends. That makes hell the perfect place for the introvert because you will never be around another person, for all eternity. Just you, all alone, in constant torment.

    Look at Luke 16:19-31, here we find some statements about the condition of hell: It is “far away” from heaven – indicating in the “opposite direction.” Next, hell is the place where a person will eventually cry out to God, also hell is a place of “agony in this flame.”v.24 Note in verse 25, the person in heaven is “being comforted” while the person in hell is “in agony,” again a mention of opposites. Verse 27 reveals that the rich person who had denied God, soon becomes a beggar. Verse 28 clearly states that hell is a place of “torment.”

    Heaven is portrayed as a place of constant celebration, a place of peace and comfort, a place of being united with friends, family and other saints who are there, but more importantly, a place of walking joyously with Jesus! In heaven there is no torment, nor agony, nor flame of judgment – each of those are reserved for the opposite place.

    Could it be that is why Christians are to live their lives on earth as opposites of those who do not know Jesus. We will spend eternity being opposites. The amazing thing is that God allows every one of us to choose which place we want to spend eternity in. You see, God never sends anyone to hell, people choose to go there by refusing to accept God’s amazing gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

    Remember, opposites attract. As long as professing Christians live their lives just like folks who do not know Jesus, there is only judgment and strife. But when Christ-followers live lives that reveal the amazing grace and power of God, those around us will be drawn to Jesus. For the most part, we humans know when we are walking away from God, we need someone to help us walk toward God. And that someone is supposed to be everyone who knows Jesus Christ as Savior! Let’s do our part so the Holy Spirit can do His part.

    I close with this age-old statement, “This earth is all the heaven the unbeliever will ever know, and all of the hell the believer will ever know.” Sounds pretty much the opposite to me. So, do you want your heaven now or later? Your choice. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” here and now, so that we can be with Him there, for ever!

    Yep, “Ma” graduated on Tuesday as Jesus welcomed her home!

    Spending eternity with God, and hopefully with you, Neal

  • “Let God be GOD!”

    December 17, 2025

    I know that I have mentioned today’s topic before, but some things bare repeating, especially when those things are the truth of God.

    In Psalm 46:10 we read, “Cease striving and know that I am God;” I know that I, and most likely we often make things more difficult than they need to be. The first time this phrase appears in the Bible is when the nation of Israel had just crossed the Red Sea and Pharoh’s army was closing in on them. Panicked, Moses askes what “he should do,” when God tells Him to “stand by and know that I am God.”

    Most often we want to understand the “cease striving” of Psalm 46:20 as being still, in a prayerful attitude, waiting for God to reveal His truth to us. Although this may be a great practice, it is not at all what this Psalm is teaching. Our Heavenly Father is really telling us something like this, “After you have prayed, after you have waited upon Me, “cease striving!” God is saying, there comes a time for you to quit trying to do something. He wants us to do nothing but to watch Him do what only He can do.

    In spite of our American technology, and even beyond AI, there is GOD! Sometimes we need to stop trying to do that which only He can do. There comes a time in every trying situation when God wants us to just stand by and watch Him do His part. Sound familiar? “Watch and see.” There is a time to pray, there is a time to take action, there is a time to gather the troops to help, but there is also a time to quietly wait for God to be GOD!

    Yep, I know, you are asking, “So when do I know when that time arrives?” Perhaps when you have done all that you can do, quit worrying, quit trying to find something new or different to do, and just let Him work – “watch and see.”

    I often marvel how God used non-Christian parents and friends to begin teaching me His principals and methods. As I often declare, “What an awesome God we serve!”

    Letting God be GOD with you, Neal

  • “Watch and see.”

    December 16, 2025

    Hang onto your Stetson, the wind is going to be screaming for the next four days! With all of the “weird” things going on around our world, this weather is like nothing I’ve ever seen this time of year, here in Wyoming. We should be knee deep in snow by now and instead we are having sixty degree days! Speaking with a good friend last night at the girls’ basketball game, I mentioned that I’m concerned that sooner or later we are going to pay for this beautiful weather. He agreed and added, “Yep it’s either going to completely snow us in, or we are headed into a severe drought.” I figure he is correct. I know our Lord has this whole thing figured out, all we have to do is “watch and see.”

    My dad was never one to do a lot of explaining about most situations. When I was in grade school, I would ask “how,” or “why” about something and his response was always, “watch and see.” In another words, “quit asking questions and just watch, you’ll figure it out.” He taught by example, not words.

    I remember a time when we were helping a neighbor work some cattle. We pushed about 50 head of momma cows and their babies into a fence corner, ’cause this ‘ol feller wanted to sort off a hand-full of pairs. Dad and I sat on the perimeter with our horses, loosely holding the bunch in the corner. The neighbor tied up his horse about thirty yards down the fenceline and commenced to sorting, on foot.

    I suggested to my dad that the ‘ol boy was going about this project all wrong, to which my dad commented, “watch and see.” Sure enough, Mr. Rancher got his pairs sorted out and we moved them to a different pasture. Once again, I needed to keep my opinions to myself and just “watch and see.”

    I was in my early teens when I and another older feller went to helping folks with their Fall cattle work. We worked cattle in more places and in more fashions than my compadre had ever seen before, but we always got the job done. One day we were helping a “city raised” neighbor work his cattle, and that which most folks would have called a wreck, turned out just fine when I convinced my friend to just “follow this ‘ol boy’s lead, his cows are plenty familiar with the process.”

    In another words, “watch and see.” It didn’t take too long before we had the cattle work completed and were eating a great lunch his little wife had prepared for us. On the way home, my friend commented, “I do believe that you could work cattle with a School Marm.” That was his way of saying that my “watch and see” method seemed to work, regardless if someone’s methods made sense to us or not.

    Sometimes I have to apply the “watch and see” mind set as I watch our Heavenly Father do things that I don’t completely understand. I’ve learned rather than ask God questions about “how” or “why” He is doing things, usually all I need to do is follow His lead as I “watch and see.” Often, our questions are a challenge to how God is going about a certain situation, yet if we just humbly follow His lead, most things get done just fine.

    After all, God has told us that His way of doing things is better than our way of doing things. In Isaiah 55:8 we read, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.” Within this passage God goes on to explain that His ways are much higher(better) than ours and all that He asks is that we walk in His ways so that He can use and bless us.

    For each of us, we have our “way” of doing things, and that is just fine, for around our outfit. But there are times that we get to help someone else, and at those moments we become like the commercial says, we are “young adults becoming like our parents” – we are sure that “the best way to do that is to do it the way I would do it.” However, we often need to just “watch and see” as God uses us to accomplish His much better ways. No questions, just follow His lead and we’ll get the job done.

    Practicing “watch and see” with you, Neal

  • Building upon difficulties.

    December 15, 2025

    At 4:30 a.m. we have 41 degrees, looking forward to 57 for today’s high. With a 9-mph breeze, I hope to get some more things buttoned up outside. Today will mark half-way for this last month of this year. Time sure enough is going by way too quickly.

    O.K., let me make it clear, I never once felt abused when I was a kid. Times and people were just different back then. You had to be tough to make a decent run at this thing called life. At a very young age, I realized that I was responsible for me. The kind of man I would become depended upon what I learned from being around other people. I had several examples of folks I did not want to become like, but on the other hand, I also had several examples of people that I tried really had to become like – they were fantastic folks who did their best to build positive traits into my life.

    I was extremely blessed in that I had several men who set the bar high for my life, and then they invested time into my development as someone who would know who he was. Yes, in a real sense, I was the community foster child to several great families. Each one showing me what unconditional love looked and felt like. They did their best to allow me to be a member of their loving family. Families I still cherish to this day. No, I was never abused nor used, I was greatly blessed and directed.

    In 1982, my Heavenly Father welcomed me into His family. A family of unconditional love, a family with high standards, a family that accepts each other where they are, but also a family that desires to help each person find their created purpose and live it to the max. Christianity really is about family! As a family, we love each other through good times and stand by each other during difficult times. We pray for and with others, always trusting All Mighty God to do His work within the lives of our family members.

    Perhaps the difficult years of my life help me to celebrate where and how I get to live now! I am so blessed to have an absolute soul mate for a wife. She blessed me with three amazing little ones who are now great parents, individuals and people who care for other people in genuine ways. And from the three, we have received a passel of grandchildren, and now we are being blessed with great-grand-children! I LOVE our family!

    And then there are the church families that Miss Deb and I have been blessed to get to be a part of over these last 40+ years. We have been given deep relationships all over this country (we spent yesterday afternoon with one of those groups of dear family members). Man, what a life we have lived, and what a life we look forward to living, until our Lord calls us to come and spend eternity at His house!

    No, I am not abused, I am abundantly blessed! I have experienced the truth that the difficult circumstances of this world are God’s way of giving us two choices: we can either become bitter or better. Please, allow the difficulties of your life to be the hands of God, shaping you into who He wants you to become. After all, if we work with God, it sure makes this journey way more enjoyable.

    Jesus tells us that “each day has enough troubles of its own.” Use those troubles to help you build a solid foundation to stand on, holding onto the hand of Jesus all the way. I join the Apostle Paul in stating, “but not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, … “(Rms.5:3-5) “Tribulation,” difficult times, are intended to help us become who God wants us to be, or they can help us remain who Satan wants us to be. We each have to decide which one we will work with, realizing that we will live with that family for eternity. As Joshua stated, “I choose God.” (paraphrase)

    Choosing to follow God with you, Neal

  • Blessed to be a blessing!

    December 14, 2025

    Eight degrees with heavy frost, headed for 56 for a high, and I can wear my Stetson today!

    From the time I was around seven years old, I got loaned out a lot. That is, I would leave our house at daylight, or sometimes the night before, to ride to a neighbor’s place to work for him for one to three days usually, sometimes for a week. It was always scarry sleeping at someone else’s place, usually in an old building or a barn. Every now and then, I would score sleeping in a basement. The even scarier part though was having to eat at some of the outfits I went to.

    We had one neighbor lady who would place all of the dirty dishes and silverware on a board that stayed on the floor of their kitchen. After placing all of the dirty dishes on that board, she would open the door and let three coyote hounds in, they would lick everything clean. She would then wipe each item with the bottom of her crusty apron and put everything back in the cupboard, ready for the next meal.

    Another ‘ol gal that I had to work for on a regular basis, carried a switch with her all of the time. If I wasn’t working fast enough or doing things the way she wanted, I got the switch. Boy, she could leave my legs and backside looking like a zebra, cussing like a crazy woman all of the time she was laying it on. But I reckon I survived.

    The work done for a neighbor usually involved working cattle in some form, haying, or fixing fence. I enjoyed one of those and dreaded the other two. But I had been raised to do my part, no matter the task. I remember one time, I was handed a shovel, directed to the family out-house and told to dig a hole beside the present structure. It was to be four feet by four feet and six feet deep. Oh ya, it was also out in the open, in July, so it was terrible hot, and the ground was like cement. And to top that, the new hole was to be on the east side of the existing outhouse, of course, the breeze was out of the west. I would have quit if I could of, but that was never an option.

    Every now and then, one of the neighbors would pay my folks for my labor. Those funds were always used by my mom to buy groceries or something needed. I learned at a very young age that we all worked to keep our outfit afloat, not for personal gain. I think I was probably in junior high before I was allowed to keep a paycheck for my own use. I cashed it and took both of my little sisters to the local ice cream shop the next time we were in town. Of course, we brought dad and mom both an ice cream cone back with us!

    By the time I was in high school, I bought all of my own clothes, school supplies, and footwear. A pair of new boots would cost a feller twenty to thirty dollars, a week’s wages, if I got paid at all for helping neighbors. There was no need to grumble or complain about any of it, it was just the way things were.

    Yet now as a Christ-follower, I marvel at how my Heavenly Father took such good care of me and how He always met my needs, and He is still doing the same! When I look back at some of the places I had to work, some of the folks I had to work for, and some of the conditions I had to survive under, I know that God had a plan for my life, or I would have been dust long ago.

    And today, I get to teach the adult Sunday School at our local church! Not because I’m anything special, but because that is what the Holy Spirit has equipped me to do. He gives spiritual gifts and opportunities as He sees fit, and that excites me. I’m constantly amazed at the opportunities the Spirit has given me, to help, to encourage and to bless others. I don’t think my dad had any idea that he was training me to be “other” focused, but I’m sure glad that he did. After all, I get to keep today’s pay checks – no not money, but great hugs, smiles and the blessing of seeing folks fall in love with Jesus!

    You see my friends, most often our Heavenly Father doesn’t put a dollar benefit with helping others, but He sure provides and protects. I constantly marvel that I get to serve the greatest King this world has ever known!

    So, how about your life? Do you serve the King of Heaven, or the king of cash? When everything we do has to have a dollar amount tied to it, we miss the blessing of being a blessing. For you see, according to God’s promise to Abraham, we are blessed to be a blessing, not to get rich. After all, how was it that Jesus said it, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” A person’s soul is that part of you that makes you, you. Our soul contains several elements of who we really are, including our emotions and desires. Chasing money has a way of negatively impacting both of those.

    Being a blessing with you, Neal

  • It’s a puzzle!

    December 13, 2025

    Good morning, friends. At 5 a.m. it was 21 degrees and extremely quiet here in Lusk. There was no wind, nor any trucks on the highway. The only sound was absolute quiet. So, I just sat in the quiet and listened for the Holy Spirits to speak into my life. He did!

    It is now 5:45 a.m., the wind is blowing, trucks are running up and down the highway that goes through our little town and my computer is clicking and clacking. Though each of the sounds that I can hear around me right now are sounds of life, I must admit, I really enjoyed the complete quiet while spending time withnthe Holy Spirit. What an amazing God we serve!

    Well anyway, as I mentioned yesterday, Miss Deb and I are trying to spend some time throughout our day and evenings working on jigsaw puzzles. Not only is it relaxing and gives us time together, working on puzzles is also good for our old brains and our arthritic hands. I highly recommend that you consider turning off your TV, dumping a jigsaw puzzle in the middle of a table and enjoy.

    However, I would like to make one more suggestion: Purchase a new puzzle of 500 pieces. Invite a friend over to help you with the puzzle and maybe some coffee and pie (cherry is my favorite)! By the way, here’s the twist. Have the friend join you, dump the puzzle out on a table and then ask your friend to take one piece of the puzzle out of the pile, place that piece in their pocket and take it home with them. (Now, if your friend is getting on in years, you might want them to tell you where they put that piece for safe keeping at their house, so that you can help them remember where they put it for later use. 🙂

    Then the two of you sit down and start working on the puzzle, visiting about whatever the Spirt leads you to talk about. Remember, no gossip, that’s never of the Lord. Jus visit, enjoy the company and relax with your drink and food of choice. Allow your brain and hands to stay busy while you talk with a friend – perhaps a few words of encouragement would be excellent medicine for that friend.

    After they leave, spend some time each day working on your puzzle. As you work, pray! Pray for your friend and their family, pray for your family, pray for those on your prayer list, for your church, for your community and national leaders, pray for the salvation of others, and especially pray for wisdom and discernment as you speak of spiritual matters with those you will come in contact with later this week. Remember to also spend some time praising God for how He is at work in your life.

    You see, using this method, not only is the puzzle good for your physical life, but it is also good for your spiritual life. Sometimes, life itself is just a puzzle waiting for God to help you find the right piece for the right place. As He puts the pieces of your life puzzle together, you get to watch the picture of your life come together.

    The day before you finish your puzzle, invite that friend to bring back the “missing” piece. They will enjoy seeing what you have completed on the puzzle, and they will also enjoy helping you finish the puzzle with the missing piece. Perhaps it is now time for more coffee and goodies, and then if you are not sure your friend is a Christ-follower, mention how a relationship with Jesus may be the missing piece in their life. For as you know, knowing Jesus puts many of the life-puzzle pieces in place. Be sure to take a couple of minutes and share with your friend how they are a very important piece in the puzzle called your life. Laugh together, cry together if needed, and celebrate your friendship.

    Last step: take the puzzle apart, box it up and give it to your friend. Encourage your friend to repeat this process with someone else who is a blessing within their life. Share how you pray during your “puzzling” times and how God has answered many of those prayers. Encourage your friend to do the same as they work on that same puzzle. Using this method, one simple puzzle can be used to spread fellowship, joy and encouragement around your hometown! (Perhaps have everyone who completes this process sign their name on the inside of the box upon completion of the puzzle?)

    Working on this puzzling thing called life with you, Neal

  • Yeah God!

    December 12, 2025

    Well, I’m finally back home and able to get to my computer. This has been a grand day! Miss Deb, Coffee and I all went to Scotts Bluff today to get groceries and to continue celebrating my beautiful bride’s birthday with a meal at Culvers. I know, nothing fancy, but we both enjoyed a “store bought” meal and some time just for the two of us.

    Then back to Lusk to get to visit with a very special friend, with the extra special blessing of getting to help him accept Jesus Christ as his Savior! Praise be to God our Father for calling him to salvation! Jesus, Your sacrificial blood was applied to another soul this very day.

    After that, we went to a recital where two very special young ladies blessed us with some great music. Oh for sure, there we other youngsters who also did a great job displaying their musical abilities, but our two young ladies are extra special, to us anyway.

    The next item of our day was to return home, turn up the furnace and praise God for giving us so many special blessings on this otherwise cold and dreary day. Forty-three degrees colder today than yesterday, yet this was a beautiful day.

    I hope that your day was as special as ours. May we each continue to be available to be used by our Lord for His glory, and for the good of those around us. After all, we each just pass on the blessings that our Lord has given to us: He has given us life; He has called us to salvation; He has given us gifts; He expects us to use all of that for His glory. What a joy it is to see Him at work within and through our lives! All we have to do is be available for whatever, and however, He wants to use us.

    Now, Miss Deb and I are about to tackle our jigsaw puzzle. Hopefully you have something equally as enjoyable to do as we each unwind from the business of this day. I often comment to Miss Deb just before going to sleep, “I think this day is tired of me, “love ya, good night!”

    So now, I send that same comment your way. If God should allow, we’ll take another run at it tomorrow. Blessings my friends, Neal

  • Just pray!

    December 11, 2025

    At 4:30 a.m. the temperature is 51 degrees, headed for 61. The problem is that the wind gusts are predicted to match the temperature for today. This is a special day around our outfit, it’s Miss Deb’s birthday. For the next four months we are the same age, old.

    I can’t say for you, but my prayer page is completely full right now. Don’t get me wrong, I feel blessed to get to pray for folks, it’s just that today, so many of those requests are really heavy. But then, isn’t that why the Lord told Joshua to be “strong and courageous?” Joshua was headed into a physical battle, while mine is a spiritual battle.

    As a pastor, I can’t do anything to help these dear folks that I’m praying for find an answer to their prayer request, only God Himself can help them. My part is to present those needs before the throne of grace and allow our Heavenly Father to decide the best course of action concerning each person.

    This morning’s prayer requests range from salvation for a loved one, to another coming back to Jesus, to someone dealing with emotional stress, to several needing physical healing, while still others are waiting for the Lord to call them home.

    I must admit, praying for physical healing is the toughest prayer for me. You see, sometimes, God allows suffering to be the avenue to help someone come to salvation, or a to deepen a person’s faith in God. So, I jump in and pray that He bring a quick healing to their pain, but that pain might just be the best thing for them at this moment? Perhaps in this situation I am best to follow the example Jesus gave us in the Garden of Gethsemani, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

    And then there are the prayers for our nation! Perhaps Moses prayed it best when he said, “Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.” There is so much strife, deceit, greed and pain in America today, yet the real King is still upon His throne, and I yield my request to His wisdom. I wonder, how often does God uses situations in our nation to draw someone to Himself, while using similar circumstances to discipline others. Perhaps the tears of the heart are the best prayer for this nation?

    For today, I pray as King David prayed, “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” That is one of the lessons my Lord has taught me concerning prayer, I am to pray and then watch to see what He wants to do, and then praise Him for the result. For you see, in some situations, a season of prayer is required. I often think that our Lord is using the situation to teach me to pray expectantly and constantly. I always pray knowing that He will work, in His time and in His way. My part is to “watch,” while I continue to pray for the same person, or situation over and over again. Often the Holy Spirit burdens my heart to pray, not only for others, but also for myself, each prayer time beginning with a prayer of confession.

    Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the frequency or urgency of the prayer, there are times that all we can do is pray – yet is there possibly anything greater that we could ever do? To be allowed the blessing of praying for others is one of God’s greater gifts to His children. For I suspect, we all need a “healing” in some way or another?

    As the Apostle Paul challenged us, “pray without ceasing.” Our part is to pray; His part is to heal in whatever way He knows to be best.

    Anticipating His healing grace with you, Neal

  • Free Rein!

    December 10, 2025

    Looks like we are jumping into two more days of stiff breeze. I reckon when the wind gusts are over 100 miles an hour, the wind is officially blowing! But with three days of strong wind, we will really appreciate it when the wind comes back down to 12-15 miles per hour. Sometimes our Lord sends us some tough stuff, so we better appreciate when the better shows up.

    Here we are looking straight into the eyes of the end of 2025. I remember when the year 2000 was on the horizon, the media did all they could do to convince us that life was going to pretty much end because of computer failures. Can you believe it, the media hype was wrong, again.

    Oh for sure, the end of life as we know it could come at any moment, but I don’t think the media is going to have much to say about it until after the fact. I wonder how they will account for thousands of Christ-followers leaving the earth all at once???

    Well anyway, for today I would like to visit with you about something that is very dear to my heart. Now let’s get it straight, I’m not trying to make you follow my agenda, I just want to share some feelings with you and then perhaps ask some questions.

    I miss having a horse! All of my life I have had some kind of a horse (remember, a donkey was my first one), up until 2016. In 2011 we moved to a different location to help a freshly wounded church find healing in their life with Jesus. By God’s amazing grace, they found their healing and are impacting their community with the Gospel message even today! While we were at that location, the Holy Spirit lead me into a new ministry, helping men determine what it meant to be “a man of God.”

    To better facilitate this ministry, we moved back to Wyoming in 2016. Because we couldn’t afford enough land to keep my horses, they all went to new homes, and I have not had a horse since. I must admit, there is seldom a day goes by that I don’t think of how awesome it would be to have a horse friend once again. But due to the fact that we now live in town, I reckon that such a yearning is nonsense.

    So let’s shift gears now and take a good gander at the little feller in the photo below with his prancing steed. Looking at this picture, it is easy to “feel” the love between a feller and his horse. As Teddy stated, “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” I miss those relationships I’ve been blessed to have with good horses.

    Not only is it good to have “chores” to do, it is also good to have a friend to visit with who doesn’t talk back. They just listen and love. Perhaps we should have a little more “horse sense” and a few less opinions. I reckon most folks would be blessed if I was to just listen and love.

    And then there is the freedom from life the moment you step a foot into the stirrup, swing your leg across the back of a horse and ride. You don’t even have to have a job to do when riding, just get on and ride away from, so that when you return there is a feeling of refreshment. An abiity to step back into reality with a better attitude.

    Well anyway, now the question: “What is it that helps you improve your attitude?” Asked a different way, “How do you get your attitude adjustment?” Perhaps it’s at the demand of a spouse, perhaps at the suggestion of a child, perhaps when you just feel “a little off? However the suggestion show up, people or circumstances can suggest that we change an attitude, but how we get said attitude adjustment is my question for today? For me, stepping on a horse and spending time in the saddle is the best attitude adjustment method I have ever experienced.

    But now, with no horse, I just have a crummy attitude all of the time – I sure enough hope not! I have found that the Holy Spirit is also really good at giving an attitude adjustment. His conviction, or His encouragement are both great tools to help us realize the need of changing a poor attitude.

    So, if you are blessed to have a horse, go for a good ride and return with a good attitude about your life. But if you don’t have a horse, allow the Holy Spirt to help you in that department. Oh and by the way, the Holy Spirit also listens and loves, but He doesn’t stop there. The Holy Spirit listens and loves and then He empowers us with the ability to make needed adjustments!

    Allowing the Spirit free “rein” with you, Neal